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        New Message Board Archives >> 2003 Posts >> Think I found a trigger
        
(Message started by: Roxy on Feb 17^th, 2003, 8:56pm)

Title: Think I found a trigger
Post by Roxy on Feb 17^th, 2003, 8:56pm

Since my ch's started, I've never been able to pin down any type of trigger. Got surprised by one today.

Went to help my son refinish his hardwood floors. He had put down the sanding sealer, and, I was going to resand them for him again. Walked into the house, and when the fumes from the polyurathane hit me.....well, it was somewhat like being smacked in the head with a 2x4 :o. Took me to my knees within 3 minutes....and, it was a bad one.....my 02 was 30 miles away (figures :-/).

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else.

Tracey

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by kim on Feb 17^th, 2003, 9:07pm

We had our floor sanded last summer............i suddenly came down wth "Fifths Disease"..............-don't ask!

We always seem to remember the most hideous SMELL when we don't feel good. :o :D

Trust me, when yur head feel betta ya could snooze peacefully in the midst of cow dung and it would not make a BIT a difference. :-*

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Frank on Feb 17^th, 2003, 9:35pm

Driving behind an old school bus does it for me. The car fills up with diesel fumes and Wham!

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Georgia on Feb 17^th, 2003, 9:41pm

Hey Tracey,

So sorry to hear that you are getting hit, girl. Just ain't fair.

Yes to stain, certain paint, turpentine, exhaust fumes, nasty perfume, nail polish, den's breath...any strong chemical smell is almost always a trigger for me.

I know this has been discussed here before as well with many ch'ers saying that certain smells were triggers for them as well. Sorry you had to find out like this. :(

Be as well as can be.

Love,
Georgia

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Ted on Feb 17^th, 2003, 9:45pm

Cool Georgia. Thanks. You're going to make this very easy for me to write:
What she said (though I haven't smelled Den's breath yet... remove the "yet").

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by JDH on Feb 17^th, 2003, 9:48pm

I do a little woodworking and I've gotta be real careful working with finishes, it can definitely set me off. :-/

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Ree on Feb 17^th, 2003, 10:26pm

Common for US M people too... Smells are big triggers for CH sufferers... although so many of you have distroyed your senses by SMOKING.............. ITS A WONDER YOU CAN SMELL ANYTHING!!!!!! another healthy moment by Ree who by the way doesn't smoke LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLhttp://www.regalweb.co.uk/loony/animated/blade.gif anymore!!

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Roxy on Feb 17^th, 2003, 11:51pm

I honestly thought I had read everything on this site....how I missed smells...I don't know.

I really didn't think smells would do it. Since we ranch and farm....there are some days that I am literally bathed in hydraulic fluid or diesel, etc..... Hell....even my truck is diesel. None of those smells have ever done a thing.

But, I appreciate the input. Got a good excuse to lay off quite a bit of work now. I can just say..."oh no.....the smell will get to me!!!" LOL

Georgia: lady, answer your damn email!!!! ;D

Ree: You're a better woman than I.....take my smokes, and I'll kill someone. Take my smokes and my wine....I may wipe out a whole town....LOL ;)

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by BruceD on Feb 18^th, 2003, 10:07am

Only smell trigger I've found is pancake syrup. Specifically maple syrup. Go figure?

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by west17m on Feb 18^th, 2003, 11:28am

Roxy,

Oddly enough, I've worked (like you) in some of the least appealing fragrant environments, everything from chicken houses to organic chemistry labs; however, my number one smell trigger is cigarette smoke. I am still in college and if people down the hall start smoking with there door closed, I know almost immediately. Sometimes I can even "feel" it before smelling it.

I think it's ironic that a smoker gets set off by chemical fumes, and someone that works in the lab gets set off my smoke. We need to trade something ;)

-- Tag

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by oringkid on Feb 18^th, 2003, 12:25pm

I have found two (maybe three) smell triggers.
1)mothballs
2)fingernail polish remover

and the maybe is 3) fresh cut onion.....I say maybe cuz not sure if it is the smell or the part that makes your eyes water, and don't think it would have actually triggered one if I had been pf at the time, but I was dealing with about a 4 and was trying to fix dinner...cut up an onion and that sent my not-too-bad 4 to a killer 9 in about 3 seconds. From now on, no onion cutting for me during cycle unless I am completely pain free.

The other 2 will bring an attack on during cycle. Sometimes mothballs will try to bring on an attack when I am out of cycle too! I stay well away from mothballs.

Sherry

(ps no comments from the peanut gallery on the mothballs please! LOL!! ;) )

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by jonny on Feb 18^th, 2003, 12:51pm

No triggers here at all, Me thinks thats a big part of me being able to cope with this crap for so long.

.......................jonny
(Kid, whats that your saying about mouthballs? ;D)

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Kirk on Feb 18^th, 2003, 1:05pm

The only thing for me is cleaning the hold of the boat after a Herring trip. I think that would give anyone a headache of some sort.

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by BobG on Feb 18^th, 2003, 1:11pm

For me it's the soap/detergent aisle in the supermarket and the perfume aisles in the large department stores.

Hey Bruce D.......maple syrup? That's gotta be a bitch. I love my French Toast.

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by oringkid on Feb 18^th, 2003, 1:15pm

Ha Ha Jonny.

Here I figured I'd get the standard "how do you get your nose between their tiny legs" thing and you go and take to a whole different department! LOL

HONK! HONK!

Sherry

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by BruceD on Feb 18^th, 2003, 1:32pm

BobG, Yep it bites. My kids love waffles or French toast for breakfast but they know that when I'm in cycle it's a big no-no. I'm a big softy dad though, if they want some I'll usually head outside until they're done eating & the house is aired. Gotta be careful which restaurants we go to (when in cycle) as well. I've gotten to the point that even when I'm PF I don't eat any maple syrup. Guess I've associated the pain & smell too closely and I just have an aversion to even eating the stuff now.

Thankfully that is the only smell trigger I've found (sometimes some foods) but I don't smoke or drink so maybe that makes a difference.

Take care
Bruce

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Roxy on Feb 18^th, 2003, 4:26pm

on 02/18/03 at 11:28:09, west17m wrote:

I think it's ironic that a smoker gets set off by chemical fumes, and someone that works in the lab gets set off my smoke. We need to trade something ;)
-- Tag

Tag....I'll trade you anything but cigarettes as a trigger. That would put me into the "where's the gun" category.

I've already had to give up my paint sniffing habit.... ;) Only so much a girl can take.... 8)

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Ree on Feb 18^th, 2003, 7:25pm

Hey Sherry take away my finger nail polish and remover and I will do what Roxy does when they take her butts away...
...and Im sick of bein left out of this honkin thing I don't have a tatoo but I got stuck in the leg with a pencil and the mark is still there does that count as at least a BEEP BEEP..........LOL Ree

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by jonny on Feb 18^th, 2003, 7:31pm

Stuck?....Pencil?......Ink, yup, Honk away, Baby!!!!

HONK!!!!

.........................jonny

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by tanner on Feb 18^th, 2003, 7:48pm

my very first cluster smacked me while i was varnishing a door and for the longest time i tried to convince first the er then the doc and finally the neuro that some kind of toxic reaction was killing me! fortunatly the neuro knew better.... he said it was a brain tumor... imagine my relief....arrrghhh

most perfumes, hairsprays, and all paint solvents will still knock me too my knee's.

tim

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Roxy on Feb 18^th, 2003, 8:38pm

on 02/18/03 at 19:25:11, Ree wrote:

when they take her butts away...

:'(....um....er......Ree.....I really do like..... :o OH, you're talking about cigarettes, right?

;) :-*

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Mark C on Feb 18^th, 2003, 8:46pm

"Patients should be advised to abstain from alcohol during the cluster bout. Otherwise, dietary factors seem to have little importance in CH. Anecdotal evidence suggest that patients should be cautioned against prolonged exposure to volatile substances, such as solvents and oil-based paints. They should be instructed to avoid afternoon naps because sleeping can precipitate attacks in some patients."

http://www.clusterheadaches.org/library/general/management_of_ch.htm

;D

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by oringkid on Feb 18^th, 2003, 9:12pm

Ree, when in cycle (and sometime when not!) I chip and scrape it off as soon as I get 1 or 2 chips....can't help it! I love doing it! LOL Also can't help but peel sunburned skin either!

The polish itself doesn't seem to bother me as long as I don't hang my head over it too long. I guess they put enough perfumey stuff in it to change the smell or something.

Quirky me...! LOL
Sherry

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by eggie on Feb 18^th, 2003, 11:11pm

I will tell you what the triggers are. smokeing is not one of them . that the only thing that i have not gave up. So far. that means every thing else is or could be a trigger and is for me. smell is a big trigger a supper trigger i don't know how manny times i told my wife to stop puting on that hand lotion. these headaches just come on anyway when ever where ever and what ever you are doing. boy thay suck big time :'(here to a pf day ;). john

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Jarvis on Feb 18^th, 2003, 11:42pm

I'm with Bob G. The only odors that set me off are the soap and detergent aisles at the grocery and the perfume aisles.... The cow shit smells like heaven next to some of the cheap perfumes.

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by west17m on Feb 19^th, 2003, 12:43am

on 02/18/03 at 23:42:49, Jarvis wrote:

[...] The cow shit smells like heaven next to some of the cheap perfumes.

You just gave a country boy a needed laugh. That's my quote of the day.

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by Charlie on Feb 19^th, 2003, 4:50am

Never had an odor trigger or anything I could identify.

The more I read this board, the more it strikes me that just about everyone here seems to smoke. I did too until I was 34 and heavily. The headaches hung on 11 years after I quit however. Still, that everyone here seems involved with tobacco, it's hard not to make some kind of connection. Are we sure it doesn't mean something that the percentage of board members who smoke is more than twice the national average?

So far, you can relax and light up. Though it's so much cheaper, safer, pleasanter and easier without it.

Mean old Charlie

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by hdbngr on Feb 20^th, 2003, 12:54pm

My sense of smell became really enhanced when the clusters started in 1996. Three things hit really hard: Burnt microwave popcorn, that store in the mall that sells fake floral stuff and cigarette smoke. I used to love the smell of clove and menthol cigarettes. I can even smell it when my husband opens a beer downstairs (from upstairs). I can smell cigarette smoke in the lobby if everyone is fired up outside. Holding my breath doesn't work, it gets in my hair when I leave. Guess I have lost my party spirit. :-X

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by catlind on Feb 20^th, 2003, 1:19pm

ONe of the smell triggers for me is Vicks. It was several months ago that a discussion about Vicks occured and I think there are several of us who it triggers. And silly me was using a vicks inhaler to aleve the congestion LOL. ONce I realized it just might be a trigger, I quit doin it, and guess what? Headaches behaved much better!

It's odd how the olfactory works and interacts with the hypothalamus. Wonder if there are any studies on that.

Cat

Title: Re: Think I found a trigger
Post by brain_cramps on Feb 20^th, 2003, 3:32pm

found another one...

trying to go through a year-end when the bookkeeper doesn't seem to know WHAT YEAR IT IS! :o ::) >:(

grant